


A Bi's Best Friend

by Jackdaw816



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Cats, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:41:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25617514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackdaw816/pseuds/Jackdaw816
Summary: Ianto's hiding something
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Comments: 10
Kudos: 72





	A Bi's Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Nik who told me to write about Ianto and a cat to try and break me out of a slump. Uh, it worked. :)

When Ianto ducked out during lunch one day, Jack paid him no mind. It wasn’t as if he was hiding another Cyberman in the basement of his apartment building. (Jack had checked thoroughly.) He’d come back in time to go chase Weevils, and Jack hadn’t spared it another thought.

The next night, Jack kept Ianto late, much later than everyone else. Jack had offered for him to stay the night, but he’d deflected and was gone before Jack could protest. He’d stared at the ladder in bemused disbelief for several seconds before rolling over and falling asleep fitfully.

Three days later,  _ Owen _ showed up to work before Ianto. The latter showed up eventually, slightly mussed and muttering apologies. Jack watched him all day, worried. Something was wrong. An hour after work, Jack showed up unannounced at Ianto’s flat.

Jack rapped on the door sharply. Almost half a minute passed with no response, and Jack reached for his key. Before he could get it into the lock, the door opened. Ianto peered out at him.

“Jack?” Ianto asked, bewildered. He looked nervous, glancing back into his flat. Jack’s suspicion only grew deeper. “Is something wrong?” Jack smiled disarmingly, tucking his key back away. Ianto had given it to him after their second date, both men ignoring that Jack already had a copy.

“Depends,” Jack said cheerfully. Ianto stepped back, and Jack pushed his way into the flat. “What are you hiding from me, Ianto?”

“I’m not hiding anything from you,” Ianto said demurely. Jack had to give him credit; he had a good poker face. Jack looked around casually. Nothing seemed out of place, although there wasn’t much to be out of place to begin with. “What brought this on anyway?”

“Just a vibe I got,” Jack said, stepping to where he could see the kitchen. Empty. He looked back at Ianto and raised an eyebrow. “I’m kind of psychic.”

“Of course you are, sir,” Ianto said with fond amusement. He glanced toward the bedroom, just a flicker, but Jack caught it anyway. He strode across the room, then flung open the bedroom door. Flipping on the light, Jack caught sight of… nothing.

“Alright, you caught me.” Ianto sighed from behind him. Jack turned around to see Ianto smirking. “I didn’t make my bed this morning.” Jack glanced back at the bed; sure enough, the covers were pulled back on Ianto’s side of the bed. “I overslept this morning, and I figured it would be better if I got into work before you came busting down my door.” Jack frowned.

“Overslept?” Jack asked. That didn’t seem like him.

“Yes. Nothing wrong here.” Ianto smiled. “I’m touched that you were concerned.” Jack bit back the easy remark about the last time Ianto was hiding something. Bringing that up would only be to everyone’s detriment. Instead, he nodded.

“Alright, then I guess I’ll-” 

Something clattered in the bathroom, and Ianto flinched. Jack felt his heart sink. Ianto was hiding something.

“Who’s here?” Jack demanded, pushing past Ianto toward the bathroom.

“No one!” Ianto protested. Jack reached for his gun as he pulled open the bathroom door to reveal-

“Oh,” Jack said, letting his hand fall away from his gun. A plastic cup rolled across the floor, knocked there by the fluffy tortoiseshell cat sitting on the counter. She looked up at Jack with her big green eyes and let out an inquisitive meow. “Ianto, how long have you had a cat?”

“Less than a week,” Ianto admitted. He slipped past Jack and picked up the fallen cup. “I saw her in the alley next to the good coffee shop last week. Then she must have followed me or something because then I saw her lurking outside my flat.” The cat meowed as if in agreement, then hopped off the counter. Jack stepped aside as she trotted out of the bathroom then jumped on Ianto’s bed.

“No owner?” Jack asked. Ianto shook his head as he set the cup on the vacated counter.

“Took her to the vet; had her checked out. No one claimed her, so I said I’d take her.” Ianto left the bathroom and crossed to sit on the bed. “My landlord doesn’t allow pets though, so I’ve had to keep her quiet.” 

“Naughty, naughty, Mister Jones,” Jack teased with a smirk, internally sighing a breath of relief. This was one of the nicer secrets he’d uncovered. The cat meowed again and traipsed across the bed. She trod across Ianto’s lap, barely missing a sensitive spot. Ianto petted her, and Jack swore he could hear her purring. “So, care to introduce me?” Jack asked, crossing to sit on the bed beside them.

“I’ve been calling her Turtle,” Ianto said as Turtle butted her head into his hand. Jack grinned.

“Because she’s a tortoiseshell?” Jack asked. He clicked his tongue, and Turtle turned her attention to him. He held out his hand for her to sniff, then gently stroked her when she didn’t bite his hand. “I’ve always loved torties.”

“No, I just really like turtles,” Ianto said, tone almost haughty. Jack gave him a disbelieving look, and he grinned. “Yes, it’s because she’s a tortoiseshell. I appreciate the irony.” Jack nodded and grinned in return. A couple of well-placed scratches had Turtle stretching and purring contentedly. “I see she likes you.”

“Everyone likes me,” Jack said confidently, using his other hand to scratch behind Turtle’s ears. Turtle all but collapsed in a pile of feline bliss. Ianto chuckled and reached a hand to pet her fluffy belly. “I’d be offended if your cat didn’t.”

“Turtle has refined taste. That’s why she chose to gnaw on my favorite tie,” Ianto said, reaching to his neck despite not currently wearing a tie. Jack gasped in mock shock and stopped petting Turtle. She protested, loudly, and Ianto started petting her again to keep her quiet. Jack was about to make a joke about cat prison or the like when he sneezed. Ianto stiffened.

“Are you allergic?” Ianto asked, scooping Turtle into his arms and pulling her away from Jack. Jack shook his head.

“I’m immortal; I’m not allergic to cats.” He reached out to pet her again. “She’s just very fluffy.” Ianto nodded, his wary expression melting into relief.

“I’ve already gone through a lint roller and a half trying to keep my suits cat hair-free,” Ianto complained. Turtle chirruped sweetly, and Ianto sighed. “She’s worth it though.” Jack scooted closer to Ianto and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“You sure are.”


End file.
